Brandt's Weekly Newsletter
12.17.2021
Inside this Edition
- Principal's Message
- Winter Wonderland Scenes
- Holiday Spirit Week Flyer
- Grade Level Updates
- The Counselor's Corner
- Related Arts and Science Updates
- Nurse's Nook
- The Friday Playlist
Principal's Message
Congratulations are in order for our Brandt School Band, Chorus, and Strings students. Under the guidance of Ms. Brassel, Mr. Oliveras, and Mr. Panfile, they triumphantly made their return to the stage this week at the Elementary Schools Winter Concert. I have no doubts they will continue to improve, to grow, and will steal the show the next chance they get!
Thanks to all who attended our inaugural Winter Wonderland: Title I Family Arts & Literacy Night on Sunday, December 12th. The writing an artwork displayed by our students is deserving of a round of applause. Thank you to the staff for working to help the students uses their gifts and talents to produce so much wonderful work for all of the Hoboken Community to enjoy.
Reminder, we will be having a Holiday Spirit Week from 12/20 -12/23. If you'd like to participate in our (optional) themed dress up days, check out the flyer below.
Another reminder, this Thursday, December 23rd is a 1:00 PM dismissal day for all staff and students and there is no Passport to Learning After School Program. Please ensure you make appropriate arrangements for you child to be picked up on time at 1:00 PM this Thursday, 12/12/21.
For this week's playlist, I think we all need to hear a positive message, so I hope you enjoy three of my favorites I always go to to make me feel good!
Stay safe!
- Mr. Bartlett
Winter wonderland Scenes
Congratulations Ms. James & Mrs. Street
Holiday Spirit Week
Kindness Awards
Connie Doherty is always helping friends clean up after centers (not just her own group). She loves to help!
Limani Tarawally is the kindest kid around.
Tatum Steinfeld is always helping friends with their work.
Summer Martinez is always helping in the classroom and cleaning up the floors, cleaning tables, and organizing the classroom to make it the best learning environment for her peers.
Zach Zawilinksi supported and cheered on each classmate that went up to the board during a lesson.
Otis DeBenedetto includes his friends on the playground as well as gives friends compliments if they succeed in something they were struggling with!
Hilly Snir is always kind to her classmates.
Kindergarten
In ELA, we are learning the letter T along with the Sight Word "like." Students worked on holiday writing and have been using RAZ kids to "level up" their reading skills. In Math, we are learning to measure and order items from shortest to longest. Students are engaging in measuring during centers and getting creative with measurement by putting snowmen in order from tallest to shortest. In Social Studies we are learning about signs in our neighborhood, house numbers, and left/right.
First Grade
This week first graders identified the main idea and key details from stories that they read. The phonics focus for this week was ending blends, -nd, -st, and -nk. Students reviewed possessive nouns and applied their understanding by speaking and writing sentences using possessive nouns.
In math, students have been working on place value and finding multiple ways to make a given number. For example, students found all of the combinations possible when adding two numbers to make the number 11.
Second Grade
In Writer's Workshop, writers have been introduced to How-To writing and how we can create books through giving steps to a reader of how to do something, be something, or make something. Students have chosen topics and are currently researching steps and information on their topic to add into their writing.
In Math, we have been working on Unit 2 which is geometry and understanding the differences and similarities between shapes, 2D and 3D. Students continue to work on number patterns as well as fact fluency.
In Social Studies we have been understanding Holidays around the World and how traditions are passed down through generations. Students recognize how they are unique like a snowflake and determine what it is in their family that makes them unique as well as unique in the world.
Third Grade
ELA: This week students continue their novel study of The Underground Railroad (American Girl: Real Stories From My Time). This nonfiction chapter book includes historical photos, maps, a timeline, a glossary, and a bibliography at the back. Plus, in each book, an American Girl historical character shares a bit of her own fictional story.
The Underground Railroad includes miles of real stories of passengers, conductors, and abolitionists-well-known and unknown-that traveled on the slavery escape route known as the Underground Railroad. American Girl Addy Walker shares the story of her own journey to freedom.
Math: This week in Math Investigations students represent the place value of numbers using Sticker Station as a context, and find equivalent ways to show quantities with hundreds, tens and ones. Students solve addition and subtraction problems that involve combinations with a sum of 100. Students also construct 1,000 Charts and use them to locate numbers. Students are introduced to Collection Cards as a context for addition and subtraction. Students are also practicing rounding numbers to the nearest 10 and 100.
Social Studies: This week students are learning about Holidays Around the World. Students studied Kwanza, Christmas, Ramadan, Advent and Christmas in Australia. Students are learning that each celebration has similarities and differences.
In Move this World students are focused on learning about self- awareness. Students practice identifying and expressing feelings by reflecting on how they would feel in a variety of scenarios. Students express their emotions by using facial expressions and movements. Students also have the opportunity to communicate a feeling word describing how they would feel in the scenarios mentioned in the videos. In reflecting on their own feelings in response to the scenarios, they deepen their understanding of themselves. In sharing their responses before classmates, they deepen social awareness by discovering that peers may react to the same situation similarly or differently from them.
Fourth Grade
Our fourth grade readers are continuing reading about famous women in history in their new book “What Would She Do?” by Kay Woodward. While reading about different women in history, students have been identifying character traits that apply to that woman. Even though all these women are very different, they all have the same common goal and that is to make the world a better place.
Our fourth grade writers have been practicing writing their literary analysis tasks! Students have been focusing on their opening paragraph in which students need to provide a “hook” to garner the interest of the reader and give insight on what the essay is going to be about. Students have also been practicing how to support their claims by using the text in the passages they are reading.
Our fourth grade mathematicians are wrapping up their multiplication and division unit. Throughout the unit, students have learned various ways to solve multiplication and division. Students have also started practicing their math fluency. Throughout the week, students have practiced their addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts. Knowing these facts will help students solve more complex problems they will be presented with throughout the various units. Students have also started their measurement unit. Students will learn about the various measures and how to convert between them.
Our fourth grade agents of change have been studying how the English colonies grew in the Americas. Specifically, students were exploring how life was in the New England colonies. Students studied the government, religion, and economy of the New England colonies. Students also read about different prominent people in the New England colonies and how they helped lay the foundation for how government is today.
Fifth Grade
Greetings from the 5th Grade!
It has been a fun filled week with band, chorus, and string students performing at the Winter Concert.
In Math, students continue to deepen and extend their ideas about understanding, representing, and computing fractions and decimals. Students are currently focusing on generating expressions equivalent to a given number using particular constraints. 5th Grade mathematicians are also jumping into some fun and challenging fact fluency practice, which will help students solve more complex math problems more quickly.
In ELA, classes continue to engage in assignments related to our study of Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. This week students focused on making three different kinds of connections (text-to-text, text-to-self, text-to-world). Students then used this knowledge to find their own personal connections to our novel. Students who make connections while reading are better able to understand the text they are reading. Connections were insightful and scholars enjoyed sharing with their classmates.
In Social Studies, scholars worked as investigative journalists working for a newspaper in the 19th century, publishing a special edition of the Industrial Revolution through articles, advertisements, and comics. Scholars worked together to brainstorm ideas, gather written/visual information, and ensure cohesiveness. Our 5th grade historians are excited to see all of their efforts come together.
The Counselor's Corner
I'd like to thank everyone who was kind enough to donate toys for the Sgt. Peter Zanin "Peachy" Toy Drive. This endeavor was sponsored by the Hoboken Police Department and Hoboken Fire Department in memory of Sergeant Zanin. It is an honor to be a part of such a loving community that time and time again opens their hearts to support others.
Sergeant Zanin was a good friend of mine, and I know he would be so proud of the way Brandt represented this cause that was so special to him. A special thanks to our police and fire departments who came to round up all of the toys and are always there to support us. I know together we have brought joy to many children this holiday season!
Email: jhosbach@hoboken.k12.nj.us
Individualized Learning Pathway - Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
Physical Education
World Languages
Art
This week in Art class, we began making snowflakes using Tessellation style of geometric shapes which are already beginning to look amazing!
Music
Our friends played so phenomenally and the community support was beyond wonderful.
Thank you to anyone who came to see the show!
Sincerely,
Ms. Brassel and Mr. O
Science
This week students completed Unit 3 - Light in Science Dimensions. We will now be combining all that we have learned about light and sound as we move on to Module 1 in PLTW, Light and Sound. We are looking forward to the many hands-on activities that will be included.
Students learned more about reversible and irreversible changes. The students applied what they knew about these two types of changes to identify and explain different scenarios and examples. The students identified changes in properties after something had gone through particular changes such as cooking and burning.
The third graders spent the beginning of the week working with their groups developing presentations for the SteamTank competition. Groups identified existing problems and came up with new ideas or modifications to existing ideas of inventions that would fix or solve them. As we get closer to the end of our unit on forces and interactions the students identified the problem in a real life scenario about a tiger stuck in a moat and examined the criteria and constraints to solving that problem. They then explored ways other people had solved similar problems in the past before they started creating labeled diagrams of their own ideas.
Mr. Metcalfe's 4th Grade Engineers explored binary code and how it has been used to create many new forms of technology. The class was also able to identify how triangulation helps to send signals quickly from one device to another almost immediately. Hi 5th Grade Scientists explored deeper into the mutually beneficial connection between organisms through food chains. The students also were able to start their observation project for hydroponic growth of plants.
Nurse's Nook
Important Updates and Reminders Regarding COVID-19 Guidelines
We have been advised by the Board of Health that Hoboken is now in the orange zone for COVID-19 transmission. Therefore, guidelines have been tightened to minimize transmission and provide elevated safety for our staff and students during this period of high transmission. We thank you in advance for your understanding and compliance.
Vaccinations
To be considered fully vaccinated, a child must have received 2 doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, with 2 weeks time since the second dose.
If your child is fully vaccinated and you wish to submit their proof of vaccination, you can email it to me at rbanks@hoboken.k12.nj.us and I will upload their record to Genesis.
COVID-like Symptoms
Please continue to fill out the daily COVID-19 form. This form must be completed daily regardless of vaccination status. If your child is exhibiting COVID-like symptoms, please keep them home and get them PCR tested for COVID-19 prior to sending them back to school. COVID-19 vaccination does not exclude individuals from getting PCR tested for COVID-19 if they are exhibiting symptoms.
Close Contacts
As a reminder, only direct contacts of a positive individual are considered close contacts. A close contact of a close contact is not required to quarantine or test.
Please let Nurse Renee, Mr. Bartlett, and Ms. Mara know if you have been a close contact of someone with COVID-19.
*Unvaccinated individuals who are close contacts are now required to quarantine for 14 days (with day 0 being the day of last exposure to the positive individual). A negative COVID-19 test does not shorten this 14 day quarantine period.
Vaccinated individuals who are close contacts are not required to quarantine and get tested for COVID-19. It is recommended that a close contact that is vaccinated gets a PCR test on day 5-7 since exposure.
Travel
Travel to NY, CT, DE, and PA does not require a negative COVID-19 test to return to school.
Domestic travel (except NY, CT, DE, PA): Unvaccinated individuals who travel domestically must provide a negative rapid, at-home, or PCR COVID-19 test taken in the state of NJ to return to school.
Vaccinated individuals who travel domestically are not required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result to return to school.
International travel: Unvaccinated individuals who travel internationally must quarantine upon entry to the US and provide a negative PCR test taken 3-5 days after returning to the US (day 0 is considered the day of arrival in the US) to return to school.
It is not required for vaccinated individuals who travel internationally to quarantine. It is recommended that vaccinated individuals who travel internationally get tested for COVID-19 3-5 days after returning to the US.
Positive COVID-19 Cases
If your child tests positive for COVID-19, please let Nurse Renee, Mr. Bartlett, and Ms. Mara know as soon as possible.
An individual who tests positive for COVID-19 must quarantine for 10 days (the day the test was taken is considered day 1). The individual can return to school on day 11 as long as they are free of symptoms. Because individuals with COVID-19 have the potential to test positive for COVID-19 for up to 90 days, a negative COVID-19 test is not required to return to school after the 10 day quarantine period.
Email: rbanks@hoboken.k12.nj.us
Website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fabout%2Fsteps-whe